Facet joints are in almost constant motion with the spine and quite commonly wear out and/or become degenerated. When facet joints become worn and/or degenerated, the cartilage may become thin or disappear and there may be a reaction of the bone of the joint underneath, producing an overgrowth of bone spurs and an enlargement of the joint. The facet joint is then said to have arthritic (literally, joint inflammation-degeneration) changes, or osteoarthritis, that may produce considerable back pain with continued motion. This condition may also be referred to as “facet joint disease” or “facet joint syndrome.”
Facet joint disorders are some of the most common of all of the recurrent, disabling lower back and neck problems, and may cause serious symptoms and disability for patients. Degeneration of the adjoining disc is almost always present, so the segment often requires a bone fusion. Typically, the adjacent vertebrae are immobilized using a cage or the like while an associated bone graft is allowed to “take,” for example, using a conventional pedicle screw system, a plate system, or the like. Such a pedicle screw system typically consists of a plurality of pedicle screws that are anchored to adjacent levels of the spine and connected with stabilizing rods or the like. Such a plate system typically consists of a plate that is anchored to adjacent levels of the spine and, optionally, connected to the implantable device and bone graft.
Another attractive option when treating various spinal diseases, injuries, and conditions is to immobilize the associated facet joint(s) using one or more facet bolts, clips, or the like. In order to accomplish this, the superior and inferior facets to be joined must be distracted and securely held during drilling and bolt placement, for example. It is also desirable that they are compressed either before or during drilling and bolt placement. This can be a tricky process, which is never desirable during a surgical procedure.
Thus, what are needed in the art are simplified devices, implants, and methods for distracting and securely holding superior and inferior facets to be joined (simultaneously compressing the associated facet joint), drilling the hole through which a facet fixation device will be placed, and placing the facet fixation device to a desired penetration depth. Such devices, implants, and methods are provided by the present invention. Advantageously, the facet fixation devices of the present invention may be used to distract the foramen in order to reduce compression on nerve roots.